This invention relates to a vehicle and track system of the type classified in Class 104. The types of systems involved herein are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,356,040 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,818,837.
While these prior art systems have been quite satisfactory for some installations, they do have several drawbacks. One of the primary problems is one of safety in that the rails upon which the vehicles ride, the drive motors, queue stations, and other system equipment are exposed. In such prior art installations, there is a safety hazard if it is desired to provide for pedestrian or vehicle traffic in a direction transverse to the direction of the tracks. In addition, such prior systems were not be particularly aesthetically or architecturely pleasing.
This invention is directed to a driverless vehicle and track system wherein the tracks or rails are arranged to be flush with a support surface such as the floor. The vehicle drive shaft is mounted for rotation beneath the level of the floor and between the tracks. A vehicle mounted on wheels is moved along the tracks by a drive wheel. The drive wheel is supported by a shaft means which extends downwardly from the bottom of the vehicle through an elongated slot in the floor on the center line of the system. The periphery of the drive wheel contacts the periphery of the drive shaft to propel the vehicle. A cam associated with the drive wheel cooperates with a cam surface located beneath the floor level at a queuing station for oscillating the drive wheel about an upright axis into a position which decellerates and stops the vehicle. The vehicle may include a bumper system which upon impact also oscillates the drive wheel into a position which decellerates and stops the vehicle.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel vehicle and track system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel vehicle and track system which is aesthetically and architecturely pleasing.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel vehicle and track system which is constructed in such a manner that it does not result in a safety hazard to persons in the operating area. It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a novel vehicle and track system wherein all of the operating and control equipment for the system are located beneath the floor level.
Other objects will appear hereinafter.